Pres. Obama Gives Rousing Morehouse College Commencement Address

President Barack Obama gave the commencement address at Morehouse College in Atlanta today, stressing the importance of black male responsibility and service, the Associated Press reports.

America’s first black president addressing a black male graduating classÂ urged graduates to “inspire those who look up to you to expect more of themselves.”

Obama also talked about his personal story, growing up without a father he wished had been around and involved, and his desire to be a better father to daughters Malia and Sasha than his father was to him.

“We know that too many young men in our community continue to make bad choices,” he said. “Growing up, I made quite a few myself. Sometimes I wrote off my own failings as just another example of the world trying to keep a black man down. I had a tendency sometimes to make excuses for me not doing the right thing. But one of the things that all of you have learned over the last four years, is there’s no longer any room for excuses.”